After 12 years working as a clerical officer and at the age of 47 I decided to change my career and retrained as a nurse at Edge Hill College. I qualified in 2007 and that decision is one of the best I have made, as improving patients’ quality of life is incredibly rewarding.

I now work mainly night shifts for Jane Lewis Nursing Agency, in either a hospital or a care setting. I work four nights a week and my shifts commence at 8pm when I take over from the previous staff nurse. After handover I prioritise my work accordingly, then introduce myself to make sure everyone is ok.

My home is in Great Sutton and I drive to work shifts which are located across the North West including Chester, Wirral and Northwich. The agency liaises with the hospital or nursing home to arrange the details of my shifts and provide me with a flexibility of work that provides a great work life balance.

During my shifts I participate in wound management, changing dressings, updating the care plan and when writing up the notes, I document the important information I need to pass onto the day staff.

Working for an agency provides me with a variety of work and health care settings and great job satisfaction. The range of patients I meet also allows me to use the knowledge I gained from my palliative care degree, which I completed in 2012.

I often find it is the simple things that mean most to patients and making someone comfortable and giving them a wash, or assisting someone with feeding and drinking helps me to get to know them and improves the standard of care I can provide. Treating patients as individuals and maintaining their dignity improves both confidence and self-esteem.

As both me and my partner Frank work nights and finish our shifts in the morning we really appreciate dining out in the evenings when we’re not at work. Some of our favourite restaurants include Little Tai Ping in Little Sutton and La Fattoria in Chester.

My regular working day usually finishes at 8am at which point I drive home in the opposite direction to the usual commuter traffic to my home on the Wirral for some well-deserved sleep!

Dress:

I wear a nurse’s uniform.

What is the favourite part of your job?

Giving someone more quality of life when the person is palliative.

What is the least favourite part of your job?

Breaking bad news to relatives.

What would be your dream job if you weren’t doing what you do now?

To own a tea shop in the Lake District.

How do you relax when you are not working?

Outside work my partner Frank and I enjoy visiting historical sites locally, walking the countryside of the Lake District and holidays abroad. Our favourite sites include Erddig stately home and the Llangollen railway and canal. We also like to visit Lake Windermere and really enjoy some of the more gentle walks around the area.

We also recently returned from a trip to New York where we really enjoyed the famous sights and fascinating walks through Central Park.

What is your favourite film?

Sleepless in Seattle.

What is your favourite book?

The Gambling Man by Catherine Cookson.

What is your favourite song?

Black Velvet by Alannah Myles.

If a film was made of your life, who would you like to play you?

Julie Walters.

Have you had your 15 minutes of fame yet?

No, not yet.

Fact File:

●Name: Jeanette Pilkington

●Job: Registered nurse

●Born: Bromborough

●Lives: Great Sutton

●Education: Sterrix Lane School for Girls, Edge Hill College

●Family: Three children, five grandchildren

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